


Trust

by Jacrispea



Category: Far Cry 5
Genre: Complicated Relationships, Desperation, Enemies to Lovers, Kidnapping, M/M, Project at Eden's Gate, Rough Sex, Self-Doubt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:22:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25117594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jacrispea/pseuds/Jacrispea
Summary: John's used to waiting for the deputy but when a week passes and even his guards can't locate him, he knows something is wrong.When he discovers his eldest brother has the Dep in his clutches, John knows he has to act fast.
Relationships: Deputy | Judge/John Seed, John Seed/Original Character(s), Male Deputy | Judge/John Seed
Kudos: 39





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [soliloquist](https://archiveofourown.org/users/soliloquist/gifts).



> This is a ko-fi thank you gift for the lovely rise Lucifer (on tumblr). Thank you so much for always be supportive and for helping me reach my ko-fi goal! (I will never get tired of hearing Mark Pellegrino say my name in that cameo ❤️) 
> 
> Also, a huge thank you to my brainstorming partner Samwhich for letting me bounce ideas and for steering me back on track!

"For the love of fuck, Sharks! What was that?" 

Wes stared wide-eyed as the flames inside the back of the van licked at the windows, expelling a heat that was almost unbearable. He stepped backward to join Grace who was untying the last prisoner. She kept her gaze fixed to the task, nimbly moving over the knots. 

"Ah c'mon man, if we leave this here, they'll just keep on using it. Better to leave them with a pile of ash to sweep up," Sharky grinned as he explained, watching the flames with a sparkle in his eyes. "You got my back on this one, don't you Shorty?" 

Grace grimaced but nodded. She tossed the rope onto the fire and placed a hand on the shoulder of the woman at her side. The poor thing looked like she was barely twenty years old, Wes decided. Blonde, skinny and with brilliant green eyes that darted along the treeline. Grace shushed her softly and told her she was safe. They all were, now that they had been rescued from the Project. 

"Not that I want to agree with you," Grace answered finally, "But you have a point. We don't have time for this though. Wes, you and I should push on." 

"And me?" Sharky asked. His brow furrowed below the brim of his baseball cap as he glanced to the deputy and back to Grace with a slight pout of his bottom lip. 

"Take these people to safety." 

"But.."

Wes patted a hand on the other man's shoulder. There was nothing he could say to take the sting from Grace's words, and after a long day with Sharky in tow, he was ready for the quiet solitude he could only find with Grace. "We need to get out of here before the hunters find us. Don't feel much like being shot up with bliss again."

Sharky nodded, "I won't let you down, Dep."

"Yah, I know you won't," Wes agreed. He surveyed the prisoners one last time, disappointed there were so few to save and tilted his head to Grace with a wordless command.

Together they turned and jogged to the woods; away from the bonfire raging behind them. 

\------

"I trust you'll find him."

"Yes John, we have everyone searching. We'll bring him in for you."

John grunted, not finding it necessary to say another word. He released the call and clenched the radio between his tattooed fingers, feeling his knuckles crack against the strain. 

It had been six days since John had last seen the deputy. Six days since John had tracked him to the abandoned cabin on the border of the Henbane, and six days since he went against his duty and given into his sins yet again. 

Six days since John had handed another piece of himself to Wes, only to have him refuse to stay after he was finished with him. 

John tapped his fingers absently, remembering the surge of annoyance he had been left with. It was nothing like the pit of anger he felt now. Yes, there were times when he wouldn't see or hear from Wes for days, but John would at least know the whereabouts of the deputy. He always did, even if Wes didn't know it.

Now there was nothing but silence which meant he was in hiding again or had crossed one of the borders. John prayed that wasn't the case. The deputy would be much harder to protect if he was out of his reach. 

The Baptist paced a few more laps before deciding to take action. He changed the radio frequency and sighed impatiently, holding it close to his lips. 

"Faith, it's John. Are you there?" 

A few moments passed before the crackle of static emitted and his sister's sign-song voice replied. "John, how lovely to hear from you. How are you?" 

John rolled his eyes, forcing a calmness to his tone. He ignored the usual small talk and jumped to the question at hand. "Have you seen our friend as of late?"

"Oh! Which friend do you mean?"

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he reminded himself why he kept their interactions to a minimum. John had always preferred Faith's predecessor if he was being honest, even though Rachel had quickly become Joseph's favourite.

Patience, John reminded himself. He took another deep breath. 

"The deputy, sister. He hasn't been seen in the Valley for some time. I've lost sight of him," he admitted. 

"Oh dear, no. I haven't since he ran from me. He was so close to finding his peace…" Faith trailed off. There was a slight pause before she returned in a hushed tone. "Does the Father know?" 

"No. And we'll keep it that way, won't we?"

"Yes. Yes, of course. I'll have my angels watch for him."

"Do that," John barked. He held the radio out in front of him, willing Wes to return to him one last time before throwing the radio against the nearest wall.

\---

"They'll be coming for us," Grace warned. 

She pushed a low branch to the side, waiting for Wes to take the lead again. The forest had grown dense but that was exactly what they needed to evade Jacob's hunters. 

"Yah, you ain't wrong about that. We gotta keep on moving."

Their pace quickened as they moved between the aging pines, careful not to trip on the underbrush of the forest. It had been too long since they had left Sharky with the wreckage of their rescue and the woods had grown too quiet, Wes noticed. He had been here before. Had been hunted like a dog and dragged in for Jacob's trials. It wasn't a place he ever wanted to find himself again. 

"Wes," Grace whispered loudly, stopping him in his tracks. He skidded to a halt and turned to watch her hold a finger to her lips. Her eyes darted to the patch of trees to the west of them, warning him with silent movements to prepare himself. He swallowed hard, trying his best not to follow her gaze and readied himself for the chase. Meeting her eyes, he waited as she watched from her peripheral. 

Seconds drifted, and then a full minute until finally Grace was sure they had been spotted. With an urgency she screamed, ordering him to run. 

Legs pumping quickly, Wes stumbled under the canopy of trees, hearing Grace's footsteps fade as he searched frantically for a hiding spot. If she was following their plan, she was most likely doing the same. 

That was their plan. Always had been - they would separate if trouble ever found them. 

"They can't kill us both if we split up," Grace had explained. She was of course, one step ahead of him and wholly correct, but now that they were apart, he felt a panic he hadn't known before. 

Behind him, he heard the occasional rustle of boots over brush. A snap of a twig. A whoosh of air being exhaled heavily. 

They were close. 

Wes reached for his gun, knowing he'd never outrun them. He had once chance and as reckless as it was, he had to take it. Spinning on his heel, he let a bullet fly and watched as the Chosen dropped, clutching the wound in her chest. On the forest floor, she stared at the branches above with dead eyes. Wes watches her in disbelief. 

It wasn't until he felt his shoulders shake that he realized he was laughing. 

"Grace!" he called out, still smiling at his exceptional luck. He chuckled quietly and kicked at the hunter's boot. It flopped to the side, lifelessly. "Grace! Hot damn! It's okay now."

"You continue to disappoint me, deputy."

Wes froze. He had heard that raspy voice too many damn times to not recognize it by now. Searching for a way out, his thoughts were interrupted by the pain that flooded through his shoulder and as the world danced before his eyes, he collapsed on top of the body at his feet.


	2. Chapter 2

John shook the water from his hands as he stretched his back and watched the new recruits stumble from the water. Three more had agreed openly of joining the Project, much to Joseph's delight. 

He had thanked John, applauding his efforts and commended him for not only bringing them into the flock, but for doing so peacefully.

John smiled slightly as he walked to the water's edge and instructed his guards to bring the newly baptised members to the Compound.

"Would you like us to bring you home first?" 

The Baptist held a palm to the space between them and shook his head. "That won't be necessary. I can manage on my own, thank you." 

The blonde man hesitated but nodded finally and joined the others as they piled in the back of the trucks and left John by himself. He waited a minute after they disappeared from view before he rummaged through his belongings on the shore, cursing until he found his radio. It had been the only thing he had thought of for over a week and try as he may, he couldn't bring himself to step away from the situation. 

"Oh, deputy…" he called out, conscious of who may be listening. "Where is old Wrathy hiding now?"

John waited. He counted the seconds while he paced, feeling the coil of tension in his gut tighten. 

"Oh come now deputy, I just want to talk." 

As was the case every time he reached out lately, the radio conversed with white noise.

John gritted his teeth.

The borders were closed, he reminded himself as his mind sprang to every possible conclusion. The deputy couldn't escape. He _wouldn't_. John bit at his lip, wondering if that was true anymore. 

\--- 

Wes leaned back against the bars that had kept him for the past two days. The heat from sun-kissed iron burned at his neck but he allowed it. The sting was the only thing that pulled his attention away from the gnawing in his stomach. 

"You're going to fix this. You have to fix this. You have to fix this. You have to.."

Closing his eyes, he tried to tune out the man who sat trapped in this prison with him. He had been here when the deputy had woken from the bliss and had been in rough shape even then. As the days wore on, the man's pleas had turned to angered rants and now, diluted chants of a desperate man. 

"We have to get out of here."

"No one's going anywhere. You just sit tight."

Wes and the man turned instinctively to the sound of Jacob's voice as he approached. The man scrambled to his knees, gripping the bars as he directed his attention away from the deputy and back to his captor. 

"Shh, shh, shh," Jacob soothed as he crouched down to the man's eye level. "You're doing so well. Don't give up now."

Wes snorted and looked away, refusing to acknowledge the soldier's presence. 

"Deputy, I have something I need you to listen to," he stopped as the jangle of keys replaced the space his calm voice once hung. The creak of the cage door drowned out Jacob's humming as he waited. "C'mon now Dep, I ain't asking for much here."

"Fuck you."

Jacob chuckled and stepped back, nodding to his guards who were standing ready and in seconds, they were hauling Wes to his feet as he struggled against them. Stopping in front of Jacob, they held him steady as the eldest Seed's hand reached to cup the deputy's chin. 

"You're a soldier. You do as you're told, that's why I chose you. There's no reason to fight any longer," he paused as his lips turned. "You're home."

If Wes had any saliva left, he would have spit as the guards dragged him through the courtyard, squirming in their grasp. His muscles screamed at every movement as they knotted with dehydration. In this state, Wes knew he couldn't fight but his stubbornness ran deep. 

"You're lucky the Father wants you kicking or else you'd have been dead long ago," the guard at his left spat. 

"If Jacob doesn't do it himself, we just might," the other added. 

They hauled him through a corridor until he was brought into a room that might as well have been a utility closet. Other than the cot in the corner and toilet that sat dangerously close to it, it was bare. The only light was from a bare fluorescent bulb hanging from the ceiling. The window had been nailed shut with boards from the opposite side. 

Large hands threw Wes to the floor, bringing the concrete to his knees with a crack that echoed through the room until it was drowned out by the sound of the steel door sealing the room. Panicked, he ran to the door and tried the knob, hopeful the Peggies were dumb enough to leave it unlocked. 

As the knob turned in his hands freely and the door stood as strong as ever, Wes let out a breath and sank to his knees, realizing there were worse things than the cage he had been held in.

\---

John rose from the lifeless body that lay slumped in his chair, pushing it away disappointedly. He stood back and shook the blood from his hands, assessing the amount of flesh he had taken. He cursed, realizing the deed was done too soon. The man's screams had been exquisite and each one drowned out his own frustrated grunts as his mind acknowledged all his self doubts. 

The Baptist wiped his hands on the thighs of his black jeans and snatched the radio from his work table again. There was so much to be said but his words would have to be controlled for the sake of anyone listening. 

"Deputy, I'm a patient man. I've given you chance after chance to come to me and cleanse your soul. I'm giving you until tomorrow to give in. To finally say yes," John threatened over the radio. His voice strained to remain calm as he waited, realizing something was wrong. It had to be. The Baptist bit at the inside of his cheek, drawing blood as he thought of the possible reasons why his calls were being ignored. 

Wes didn't get to end this… whatever this was. If anyone was walking away, it was John. This man he had let himself fall for was not about to make him feel powerless. Not again. 

_Never_ again. 

"If you do not come to me by tomorrow Wrath, your friends will know the pain I inflict upon them is your doing. They will wear your sins for you, Deputy. Every last one."

\---

"Seems Johnny is eager to see you again," Jacob observed. He tapped a finger against the side of the radio in his right hand, watching the Deputy closely for his reaction. "Unlike my brother, I don't think your friends need to suffer unnecessarily. We can stop this with one call. What do you say?"

Wes' pupils blew wide at the realization of Jacob's words. John was unpredictable and the anger in his voice was an indication things could get much worse for him if he were to find out where Wes had been. He sighed. 

"Call him," Wes agreed quietly, knowing John was the only card he had left in his deck. His voice rasped as his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. 

"Whatever you say," Jacob agreed. He placed a thick finger over the radio button, grinning slightly. Wes forced himself not to roll his eyes. My god, these Seeds were all so theatrical. "John, I have your boy. No need to make more enemies."

Wes blinked from his place on the cot, unsure if Jacob knew the truth of their relationship. 

"Where is he? He belongs in my bunker, brother," John replied quickly; his tone dripping with possession. 

"He's at the Center, being well cared for."

There was a long pause as Wes and Jacob studied one another, waiting for the reply. Inside, the knot in the deputy's stomach grew. 

"Good work," John applauded. "Be sure to say hello for me."

Jacob dropped his hand, letting the radio dangle at his side. He studied the expression on Wes' face, trying to distinguish it. When he turned away from Jacob's gaze, the soldier stepped closer. He lowered his voice as he spoke. "Don't you worry, kid. You're safe now."


	3. Chapter 3

John woke that night in a cold sweat, gripping the sheets. His nightmares had returned, though this one was unlike any he had experienced before. 

There were flashes of vibrant colour and the sound of what John could only guess to be an enormous rolling ball. The sound was deafening but somehow, it was soon overpowered by the howling of the wind that whipped around him as he pushed through the darkness. Frantically, he searched for a sanctuary from the howling as it evolved and closed in on him with jagged teeth and mangy coats. The wolves pinned him to cold dirt as they ripped through his clothes and into his flesh and without realizing it, John had screamed loud enough to wake himself from the horror of it all. 

He touched at the spot on his shoulder where he could still feel the wolf's bite and closed his eyes tightly, willing himself to concentrate on his breathing and on the things he knew to be tangible. His mind drifted from the sounds and images and soon settled on the thoughts he knew he couldn't avoid even if he tried. 

Jacob was not cruel, but given enough time he could slip through the barriers of anyone's mind and make them his. He could strip them of their existing lives, away from their memories of who they were and what they loved.

John's fingers dug into the soft sheets.

No, he decided. This was the one and only time he wouldn't allow it because now, Jacob was dealing with someone that was rightfully his. 

\--- 

"Rise and shine, Dep," Jacob cooed as he opened the door to Wes' room. "I need you to be alert today. Joseph wants to speak with you."

Wes rolled to his side, slowly. Jacob had provided him with food and water the night prior but he still felt the effects of the past few days in his joints. Deciding Jacob wasn't worth his energy, he laid back and stared up at the soldier with tired eyes. 

"I'm not joining your fucking Project."

"I really don't care if you do. But Joseph and John do, so you'll speak with them," Jacob informed him. He handed a bowl of thick oatmeal to him and a glass of water. "If you don't agree to their terms, that's the last bit of food you'll see for awhile. You understand that, dontcha?"

Wes nodded as he set the bowl on the floor and closed his eyes, ignoring Jacob who closed the door behind him without another word. His thoughts drifted to Grace, knowing she must have escaped or else he would have seen her by now. The first few days he was here, he was confident she would come bursting through the front gates and rescue him but the idea now seemed foolish. Eden's Gate's reach was far too great and nothing could save him now. 

His eyes snapped open as the realization of Jacob's words hit him hard. 

_John and Joseph._

They would be here soon. He would see them face-to-face.

A pang of loneliness ripped through him as he thought of John. The last time they had seen one another, Wes had refused to stay overnight. There was no time for anything other than the usual quick and dirty, but John hadn't seen it that way. His temper had gotten the best of him and Wes had seen it simply as another outburst of a spoiled child, until recently. After nearly two weeks apart, Wes finally recognized it as the heavy sting of rejection John had felt and regretted how lax he was in his decision.

Things would be tense as they often were but even with the mountain of complications piling up between them, Wes hoped John wouldnt walk away and leave him to rot in this cell. 

\---

An hour passed before Jacob returned, informing him he was to stay close and even though he wasn't cuffed, there were hunters everywhere on the property. All it would take was one bliss arrow to bring him back again. 

They travelled through the winding corridors of the Center until they arrived at an office. This wasn't the one Wes recognized as Jacob's but a smaller and tidier version with a prison visitation feel to it - complete with a table and three chairs. He was seated and told once again to stay put before Jacob disappeared into the hallway again. Wes noticed he made no attempt of locking or even closing the door on his way out. 

"Cocky prick," he muttered as he sank into the back of the chair. His muscles strained against the wooden curves and something at the base of the chair prodded at the knots in his hips. Shifting uncomfortably, he waited.

He counted the seconds as they passed until he had counted to exactly three minutes. Jacob would be gone by now; presumably to meet his family to bring them in for this delightful little meeting. It would give him enough time to run. 

Wes pushed to his feet and scanned the room once more. He groaned as he realized his eyes hadn't deceived him. Jacob had indeed stripped the entire room of anything useful. That didn't matter though. Wes had gotten by with far less. All he needed to do was stay hidden and then run. He tested his wobbly legs, knowing he didn't have the strength he normally did but not caring. He had one chance to get himself out of this mess and one chance only.

Peeking down the halls, he assessed his options. Surprisingly the corridors were empty. He thought back to the path they had taken to get here and remembered the gathering of Chosen in one area and a meeting room of sorts in another. It would be too congested for his escape. 

Not knowing what waited for him in the other direction but knowing he had to take the chance, he threw caution to the wind and sprinted down the hall. 

Wes counted the closed doors as he passed them, in case he had to backtrack. He counted a total of seven before he felt the sting in his thigh and collapsed to the tiles below. 

\--- 

Blinking, Wes tried lifting his heavy head as he heard the voices around him. They were all familiar to him and were all he needed to know he had failed. 

"My child, it's alright. You're safe."

He winced, feeling the cuffs biting into his wrists. Jacob hadn't taken a chance this time. 

"He takes longer coming outta it every time," Jacob announced. 

"Why was this necessary, Jacob?" Joseph asked him gently. 

"He ran. Should have known not to trust him to use his brain for once."

"He's impulsive," the third voice added. It's tone was more matter-of-fact than Wes was used to and he barely recognized it at first until the Baptist added. "He will never accept what's in front of him, regardless of how much he needs it."

Wes mustered the strength to lean back in the wooden chair he had found himself in previously and grinned up at the brothers, knowing there wasn't much else he could do. 

"How are you feeling, Wesley?" Joseph asked. 

"Fuck you, that's how I'm feeling," Wes shot back, annoyed at the formality of his address. His eyes darted to John who had placed himself behind his brothers and felt a flutter in his chest as their eyes met. Swiftly, he turned back to Joseph. "Whaddya want from me?"

"Simply to talk. To have you understand," Joseph explained. "Deputy, we are not here to harm you or anyone else. We only want to save as many as possible. As God has asked us to do."

Wes fought back the urge to roll his eyes and tell him he had heard all this before but chose to stay silent. The brothers were unpredictable and he was in no position to argue at the moment. 

"Jacob, please remove the handcuffs from Wesley. I trust he won't run from us again."

Jacob pushed forward without a word, slipping the key into each cuff wordlessly. He tossed them to the corner of the room and jutted a chin towards the door. Joseph nodded, letting him take his leave. 

"John, perhaps you should go with Jacob so the deputy and I can speak alone."

"Joseph.." John said quietly. Wes cringed, hating how John's will was all but squashed each time he was around his older brother. Joseph stood and placed a hand on John's shoulder, leaning in. "Let me bring you his confession."

John kept his eyes away from Wes, focusing on the Father as he assured his baby brother he would have time after he was done with their conversation. John nodded, keeping his eyes lowered and left to find Jacob without further argument. 

Wes couldn't help but feel the sting of disappointment. He had expected more of John, though he wasn't sure what. For him to fight for him perhaps? To wave around that possessiveness he always seemed to display when he had Wes in his arms? He wasn't sure. Just, something. 

He sighed and relaxed in the chair, knowing his chances of escape were dwindling and he only had more storytime with Joseph to look forward to.


	4. Chapter 4

"He's difficult to get through to," Joseph announced when he returned to his brothers. 

"The kid's stubborn as a mule," Jacob agreed. "Fuck, even the conditioning's been tougher this go around."

Joseph twisted his mouth and closed his eyes, willing for a solution to appear. He was sure sharing a piece of his past with the deputy would have been enough to convince him but Wes refused to speak, watching with fire still dancing behind his eyes. 

John remained silent, waiting for Joseph to continue. When he didn't, he knew his opportunity had come. It was one he wouldn't get again. 

"I can do it. I've had people far more bullheaded than our darling deputy atone for their sins."

"I got this," Jacob argued. 

"No. His weakness is his heart, and those friends of his," John disagreed, thinking of Mary May, Jerome and Nick _fucking_ Rye. They were the reason Wes had refused to see the light. Refused to see they were simply trying to save him. "Nothing else will get through to him." 

"The Dep's better off here. I got lots…"

"No," Joseph interrupted. He kept his pale eyes on John as he spoke. "No, John is right. We've exhausted our resources. He will not listen to reason and I fear if we do not sway him soon, he'll be the demise of this Project and everything we've worked for. John, please speak with him, but be kind. We must show him love and understanding."

John nodded. He kept his expression unreadable but inside, he was set aflame at the thoughts of being alone in that room with the deputy. Turning, he made his way back inside the room and closed the heavy door silently behind him. 

The lock was checked twice before he swiveled towards Wes who remained bound to his chair. His gaze stayed with John, waiting to see which side of him he could expect this time around. 

"You had better sell this or there's no getting out of here," John hissed above a whisper. The threat lingered on his tongue as he swept it over his bottom lip. Stepping forward, he leaned over the other man's chair and gripped his forearms where they rested. Squeezing, his expression fell and softened slightly as he studied the shadows of Wes' face. "You worried me."

"Kinda hard to call when your brother's locked me up."

John frowned, feeling the disappointment as Wes' casual tone hit him in the chest like a sack of cement. He had wanted desperation from the man, if only the once. 

"Would you have called regardless?" 

Wes paused before answering. His pulse had quickened since John had entered the room, just as it always did. Without trying, he was now focused on the curve of his lips as he spoke, wanting to latch onto them perhaps more than he wanted to escape. "Yah, always do."

"Except when I _need_ you," John growled. He darted forward, crushing his lips to the deputy's urgently. They parted with a gasp as John drew the other man's tongue roughly over his own. His kiss was teeth and tongue as he snaked his fingers through Wes' short hair and tugged roughly. 

Wes could feel John's emotion, solely from the way his lips met his and the way something harsh clawed its way out of his very touch. At first Wes had thought it was anger, but no, it was more than that. 

It was fear.

He was handling the deputy with the same desperation of a person being left behind. It was as if John felt Wes might simply sift through his fingertips if he were to let go. 

As John tore his lips away from the other's and passed down his neck with harsh nips and laps of his tongue, Wes smiled. It was insanity to give in with the rest of the family nearby but as always, he couldn't find the strength to say no. 

\---

"Fuck," Wes panted. He held his cheek to the rough wood of the table and breathed in deeply as John finally released his iron grip on his hips. 

"You always take that so well," John sighed as he pulled back. He watched the deputy catch his breath as he stood behind him and ran a hand across his back. John's fingers drew intricate patterns over the goosebumps of Wes' skin and then over the cold steel of the cuffs binding his hands behind his back. His brows furrowed as a thought passed over him. "How could you be so careless?"

Wes frowned and pushed himself up, stretching his muscles he hadn't realized had tensed. "I don't need a lecture. You getting me out of here or what?" 

Something wicked passed over John's face. "All you have to say is yes."

"We're not going over this again."

"Would it be such a terrible thing?" 

Wes turned slightly and twisted his hands for John to unlock his cuffs, keeping his silence. This was an argument John had yet to win but somehow, one he continued to revisit.

Impatiently, Wes jiggled at the cuffs again and glanced over his shoulder to see John buttoning his shirt with a grin. 

"John, quit playing around."

"No keys, Wrath," John replied, amused at the fact that Wes was naked and cuffed with his brother waiting down the hall for either progress on this so-called confession or to take him back to whatever cell or cage he had come from. 

"You're fucking with me."

John shook his head, smoothing back the loose strands of his hair as he did and started to gather Wes' clothes. John waved a finger, instructing him to step into his pants as he knelt and held them out.

"No matter, you would have been stripped regardless," John assured him as he fished into his own pocket and retrieved a well used switchblade. Wes' eyes widened as he stared at it. "I told you, you need to sell this. Not only for you, but for me. My brothers would be gravely disappointed if they knew of our rendezvous."

John pushed Wes to the chair and lowered to his knees, glancing up with a hunger in his eyes, as if they hadn't just fucked on top of Jacob's furniture. Wetting his bottom lip, he tore his attention from Wes' tired eyes and focused on the blade as he traced it over the other man's chest. Eyes darting from Wes' chest to face, he smiled and assured him he would be gentle. 

"How unlike you," Wes chided sarcastically. He paused as he watched something dark in John's expression. In his hand, the blade bit deeper, forcing Wes to wince against the pain as two slashes of the knife brought droplets of blood to the surface of his skin. "F-uck."

"All you need to do is say yes," John reminded him. He stretched over Wes' lap to kiss the spots on the column of his throat Wes was sure were already reddened and bruised, and then back up to his lips. This time, John's kiss was controlled and lingering. When he finally pulled back, he warned again in a hushed tone. "If not for me, then you need to for Joseph. Do you trust me?"

Wes blinked, caught off guard by the question. It was a difficult one to answer, if he was being honest. John had had more than ample opportunity to hurt or even kill him on multiple occasions and the very fact that he was here, going against his brother's wishes was enjoy to tell him he was no longer simply John's play thing. 

They had built trust, hadn't they? Over the time they'd known each other, they had gone from being at each other's throats to jumping in each other's beds. And wasn't John the first one Wes thought of when he was captured? He had told himself it was simply because he could offer an escape but, the feelings he encountered at the sight of the youngest Seed warned him otherwise. 

The pools of blue staring back at him were so hopeful Wes couldn't help but nod slowly as he leaned in and whispered against the Baptist's lips. "Yes."


	5. Chapter 5

"You've done well. Jacob and I are both proud of you, John."

John smiled as Joseph released him from his embrace and nodded to his eldest brother, signalling for him to retrieve the deputy. He and John stood by as the soldier sauntered back to the meeting room. As he disappeared through the door, a soft murmur rose and drifted down the hall. John strained to hear but couldn't make out his brother's words. 

"There were terms agreed to," John informed Joseph, still watching the door. He waited for a moment, then glanced back at his brother who was watching him with concern now spread over his features. "We're to leave his allies alone. Grace. Nick and Kim. The Pastor."

"Tell him what he needs to hear," Joseph advised, patting a hand to John's shoulder. "Without the deputy, this rebellion will fall and we will have our peace again." 

John nodded and clasped his hands behind his back as they waited. Several long minutes passed before the two men finally approached. Wes was the first to join them, now free of his hand cuffs and fully clothed, followed by Jacob who kept his eyes on John with the slightest smile hinting at his lips. 

John turned his attention to the floor, breaking the uncomfortable eye contact his brother was holding. At his side, Joseph stepped forward and placed his hands on Wes' shoulders. 

"My child, you are making the right decision. We are not the enemy. Let us bring you to the light and offer you comfort."

Jacob snorted at the word. His eyes danced with wild light as he held John's newly returned stare. Joseph prattled on, oblivious to the silent conversation his family was holding. 

"Your _Baptist_ promised my friends won't get hurt," Wes reminded Joseph. John pulled his attention from Jacob and his knowing grin and stepped towards Wes. 

"I'm taking you with me to my bunker, where you'll confess and atone for the sins. Your wrath. If you follow through on your promise, your friends will not be touched. You have my word."

"Fine, whatever. Let's get this bus rolling," Wes sighed as he followed John and Joseph through the corridors, leaving Jacob behind. 

He forced himself not to glance back, still feeling the flush on his cheeks from Jacob's reaction to seeing him bound and shirtless. It was an expression he wouldn't soon forget. 

\---

John had chosen one of his brother's stark white vans to transport Wes, driven by one of his own guards he had brought with him from the Valley. He had convinced Joseph it was best if he took with him John's other men. The deputy was bound and therefore, no risk to him. 

"I need a moment with the deputy," John advised, patting the shoulder of the guard he had chosen to escort him. They had both finished pushing Wes to the back of the van and watched as he lay cuffed on the floor. Hesitantly, the man nodded and made his way to the driver's seat. John waited until the door shut before he leaned into the back. He lowered his voice as he spoke. "There will only be a minute but when it comes, run and don't look back. You need to trust me."

Wes nodded, knowing he had no other choice. With the faintest of smiles, John announced loudly as he reached in to unlock his cuffs, that this was a sign of good will but to not try anything because he and his "best" were ready and willing to put a bullet squarely between his eyes if he posed a threat. 

"Do you understand?" John repeated. He glanced behind him and then back to Wes, nodding his head as if to instruct him. 

"I'm not stupid," Wes snapped, not entirely forcing the tone. "Shit, I get it. I told you I was atoning already."

Giving a quick wink as he closed the van doors, John moved without another word to the passenger side door and slid inside.

"We're taking him to the bunker," he announced, watching Jacob's soldiers gather in the yard to unload a delivery. "Quickly."

His guard nodded and pressed the pedal to the floor as he left the Veteran's Centre and the remainder of John's family behind. They took the shortest route, sticking to the main road as they sped towards the border. 

It was a small detail but one John had banked on. 

Unlike Jacob's Chosen who would have carefully mapped out the way while taking every threat into consideration and most likely doubling back to cover their trail, John's guards were always quick to please; only focused on the task John had ordered of them and not much else. 

"Shit," his guard hissed. John turned from the window to see the roadblock that had been set up ahead. He braced his hands on the dash as the van braked swiftly. "John, get to the back and sit tight til I come and give the all clear."

Nodding, John quickly made his way to the back to the van and opened the doors, for using Wes to squint at the new found sunlight. 

"When I signal, you need to hit me and run ahead. Understood?" John explained. When Wes hesitated, he leaned in to grab at his collar. There was an urgency in his eyes that Wes couldn't ignore. "You have to trust me for once in your fucking life!" 

The two men eyed one another until John pulled back with Wes still in his grasp, hauling him from his seat. He pushed a palm forcefully to the side door, rocking the van and screamed loud enough for anyone nearby to hear. "Bastard!"

Without hesitation, Wes followed his istructions and balled his fist. The impact of his blow left him shaking his hand from the pain but he ran as he had been told, leaving John reeling from the assult. Losing his balance, he fell to the road.

Pulling himself to his knees, he spewed profanities as his guard ran to his side and helped him up. John shook his head as a pistol was pulled from its holster. "No.. no, let him go. Let him think he's free for now. Jacob will bring him back."

He stood, hand still on his guard's forearm as they watched two members of the militia dart from the treeline and haul Wes to safety; away from the van and away from him. 

The time spent with the deputy was a rarity that left John with a neediness he had never known or wanted, and now that Wes was outside the Valley and allied once more with Eli, John knew things would only get worse. 

Jacob would be on the lookout for him and Joseph was more determined than ever to have Wes at the gates of Eden with him and his family. John couldn't protect him. The only thing he could do now was trust Wes to return to the Valley. 

John sighed, knowing he had no choice but to wait for his deputy to return.


End file.
